A unique collection of documents and manuscripts shedding
remarkable light on the history of Ilchester has been acquired by the Somerset
Record Office.

Collected by the late James Stevens Cox (1910-1997), the
‘Ilchester Collection’ consists of more than 300 items, including manuscripts,
books and ephemera relating to the social and economic life of the town dating
back as far as the 13th century.

The Somerset Record Office, with the help of grants from
organisations including the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, Friends of British
Libraries and the Friends of Somerset Archives, bought it at auction for
£40,000. The seller, Dr. Gregory Stevens Cox, James Cox’s son, considerably
reduced the original asking price as a gift to make sure the archive stays in
Somerset.

The late Mr. Cox spent his school holidays at his aunt’s house in
Ilchester. He became interested in the Roman pottery and coins he found in the
garden of her cottage and began to research the history of the town. This
schoolboy hobby turned into an obsession and he spent the rest of his life
investigating the history of Ilchester and further afield in Somerset.

He published a book and approximately 100 papers on the Ilchester
history, and the collection includes early Medieval deeds, correspondence and
court documents relating to towns, villages and estates across Somerset. It was
his wish that his collection should be kept intact and serve future researchers.

Dr. Janet Tall, Head of Archives, said: “This collection is truly
remarkable and gives a wonderful insight into the colourful history of
Ilchester, its residents and life elsewhere in Somerset. We are very grateful to
the many bodies that have helped make this purchase possible, and Dr Cox for his
generosity, which has allowed his father’s archive to remain in Somerset.”

Councillor Justin Robinson, Somerset County Council’s Portfolio
Holder for Community services, said: “In many ways, collections like this are
priceless – for today’s scholars and for future generations. It is a real
achievement to have kept them in this county, where I am sure they will get the
attention they deserve.”

The collection's reference code is A\CTP. Record Office staff
will be cataloguing the collection over the coming months, and the finished list
will be made available on the online catalogue. There has already been
significant interest in the collection, and it is expected to be very popular
with researchers.